“Here is a simple but powerful rule – always give people more than what they expect to get.”
Nelson Boswell.
In yesterday’s blog, we spoke of the imperative of providing a perception of having added more value to the CSP than the OSS has cost.
If you’re an integrator, when you finish off your OSS projects, what unexpected value-add can you easily throw in for free to give the customer an unexpected surprise at handover? For example, the OSS equivalent of a car mechanic throwing in a free car wash after servicing their customer’s car.
Here are but a few ideas for a free gift (for the organisation, not the individuals especially in case the CSP (or the governing jurisdiction) has anti-corruption laws in place):
- An additional product module and/or capabilities than had been paid for. This could include throwing in a free app if you have smartphone / tablet versions of your OSS solution
- Additional devices or device types brought under management
- Additional automations that make life easier for the CSP’s new users
- Training that is beyond the contractual scope of the project
- Developing relationships and promotions with the CSP’s other suppliers, which could be in the form of giving a supplier’s voucher for a percentage off the CSP’s next purchase, or some other tangible benefit
What other ideas can you think of that might blow the CSP away?